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mrthin2000

I'd like to move to Canada in a few years, maybe to the eastern provinces and setup a small business.  Agriculture or a small business seem to be my best bet.

Problem is, when I lookup permanent residency, I don't think there is a qualifying condition that I'd meet.  I would have some startup capital (not $350k like some programs require), but no Canadian investors (most likely) and I don't seem to meet any other conditions.  Even the provincial nominee programs look out of reach due to capital requirements (sorry, I'm not uber-wealthy).  Looks like for the self-employed, you have to be in the arts or agriculture.  So that rules out everything else?

Is there some permanent residency thing that I am overlooking?  I mean, for example--why couldn't a retiree from the US just move there and draw their US pension as a permanent resident?  That wouldn't be my case, but that seems not to be a condition for permanent residency either.  Hmmmmm.

In Belize, one can move there, keep renewing their visa, and after 12 months they are eligible for permanent residency.  Seems like Canada doesn't make it so easy.

See also

Expatriation formalities in CanadaExpatriate weddings in QuebecFormalities for entering QuebecGetting married in CanadaSelection by Quebec
annarbour

unfortunately even US citizens must come under the same programs as all others. you can of course buy a house and come and live here as a visitor . you will have to cross the border every six months though.

philipyeo

Canada's permanent residency visas are open to those who'd contribute to paying taxes (potentially). They've got a fix view of who could do so - which unfortunately fails to consider fringe cases like yourself.

Which part of the east are you keen on settling? Maritimes?

mrthin2000

Yep, I like the maritime provinces the best so far.  I'm close to BC living just a few hours south of the border, but the high cost there is a show stopper.  The interior plains' climate is pretty extreme and bigger markets for goods or services outside those few cities are very limited.  The eastern provinces, mainly Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, give me some ideas.  New Brunswick too.  PEI has some goofy landownership rules.

I guess my case is sort of fringe.  My wife and I are highly educated, but I doubt she'd want to take all her nursing boards again and go through that headache only to make half of what she does here, and having to learn a whole new way of doing things.  I think for us, we'd rather strike out and do something completely different.

I mean, I look at these programs, and I'm pretty disappointed.  So what if I wanted to open a Subway restaurant for example, or a small gas station--those aren't huge investments.  But that's not a big enough investment to do so under the business immigration qualifications. 

And my dad has a comfortable retirement, but couldn't under these programs because he isn't one of those cases. Belize allows retirees to come on down.  Not sure why Canada makes it so much more difficult.  I guess if I am not a skilled tradesman in the oil fields I better just stay home.

I could always try to get a job the hard way, but the labor market opinions (LMOs) would be hard to get in my favor.  And in some of these, if you get a job and you quit, you're bounced out of the country.  A bit scary there.

philipyeo

I could always try to get a job the hard way, but the labor market opinions (LMOs) would be hard to get in my favor.  And in some of these, if you get a job and you quit, you're bounced out of the country.  A bit scary there.


That's true - because you'll be on a "closed working permit" which ties to your job. But the benefit of that is that you'd stand a better chance of getting a "permanent residency status". This is what I went through. Got a job first and a closed working permit tied to the company I worked for. Then I applied for Canadian PR through the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee program. And when the province nominates you, your application is slightly fast-tracked.

shereenoria

Hey Philip.. glad to know you are from Malaysia.
currently I am staying in Malaysia, subang jaya.

I am planning to move to alberta, canada and seeking for job.. experience in clerical cum administrative role and could adapt to other tasks.

hoping to hear from you then.

cheers,
sherin

Monse_Rea

Hi there!
I have a question, what is better aplly for a permanent residency or a work permit?
I plan to live in Canada

philipyeo

Monse_Rea wrote:

Hi there!
I have a question, what is better aplly for a permanent residency or a work permit?
I plan to live in Canada


If you have PR, you can head over here without a job offer and then be on the ground to look for a job. But that means you'll have to have lots of $$ to help sustain your living expenses while you are hunting for a job.

If you have a work permit, you are guarantee a job to help fund your cost of living and expenses. Then you can work on getting your PR while in Canada.

Monse_Rea

But is easy to get a PR? because I´m afraid to not get it =/
I don´t have a offer job I just look for want right now.
Can you suggest me something to find a job? =)

philipyeo

Persistence, perseverance, patience, a sizeable fortune (for proof of funds and also to survive joblessness for the first few months while job hunting), hard work, and little bit of luck is what is needed.

Use jobsite portals like Monster.ca, Indeed.ca, Careerbeacon.ca
are some of the few sites you can go to.

All this goes without saying. I shall keep it as that. Good luck!

philipyeo

shereenoria wrote:

Hey Philip.. glad to know you are from Malaysia.
currently I am staying in Malaysia, subang jaya.

I am planning to move to alberta, canada and seeking for job.. experience in clerical cum administrative role and could adapt to other tasks.

hoping to hear from you then.

cheers,
sherin


Sherin,

Must have missed your post. Too many post here. I suggest you'd do some google and check what are the options available. Do not expect to be spoon-fed if you haven't done much work on your part. When you have gathered all the information you need and form a basis for the knowledge of what's there, then you can pose your questions and I'd gladly help you discern any confusions or concerns.

mrthin2000

With the new rules it sounds like the LMIA is capped at one year. Some occupations they already say no way they will even consider it. Not sure if it is just redone every year or basically you only get a job for one year because it is 'capped'. Seems really risky.

But I'm no expert on the LMIAs... not sure if that means 'no qualified Canadians applied' (meaning you were better qualified), no Canadians actually applied, or 'the potential labor market has very few qualified Canadians in 'x' labor market. Or all 3 conditions. The govt explanation of that seems vague.

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